Magnar Dahlen (NOR) continues as the head coach of the Finnish squad which consists of eleven members. According to the Finnish Ski Association the number could be increased if financial resources allow so. Possible additions in the team will be announced in August.
Head coach Magnar Dalen goes confidently to future period
"Backbone of the team is formed by experienced and strong athletes sich as Heikkinen, Jauhojärvi, Saarinen or Roponen. We will give the whole team a chance to prepare in the best possible was for World Cup Tour de Ski and World Championships in Oslo "said Dahlen.
"High Altitude Training in conjunction with the extra hill training is our main goal this year. Whole national team will go to five high altitude camps in August Silvaplana (SUI), September, Ramsau (AUT), October, Val se Nales (ITA), December Davos (SUI) and February Seiser Alm (ITA). We also expect that Niclas Grön as the coaching reinforcement will bring his inputs in expertise and in power training, technique and tactics.
Time to do hard work
"Top athletes, like Saarinen, Roponen, Jauhojärvi and Heikkinen are highly motivated for upcoming training period and this is a big thing for the whole team. We also have new and very talented athletes, like Niskanen, Lähteenmäki and Paakkonen. They have a big chance to succeed if they train hard and are directed in the right way. Now the talking is over and we have to move on to do the hard work in order to reach good results." concluded Dahlen
Men
Matti Heikkinen
Sami Jauhojärvi
Ville Nousiainen,
Lasse Paakkonen
Matias Strandvall
Ladies
Aino-Kaisa Saarinen
Riitta-Liisa Roponen
Riikka Sarasoja
Kerttu Niskanen
Krista Lähteenmäki
Pirjo Muranen
